The 2024 MLB season is now just over two months away, and we’re already starting to find out who the contenders will be in October. Of course, there are times when certain lower ranked teams play later in the season, but the teams at the top of the National League division have been overwhelmingly better than the teams fighting for wild card spots.
MLB Division Leaders Are Forging Ahead
There are as many teams over .500 in the AL Central as there are in the entire National League 🔥🙌 pic.twitter.com/ULpEk06Oyn
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 5, 2024
The biggest division lead in the NL (and baseball as a whole) is owned by the Phillies in the NL East. Entering Wednesday’s game, Philadelphia had a seven-game lead over the Atlanta Braves, with 15 games separating first and third (Nationals). The Phillies have the best run differential in the National League thus far, +17 better than the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Speaking of the Dodgers, they came into Wednesday with a seven-game cushion atop the NL West, with the Padres, Diamondbacks and Giants locked in the wild-card race. The Brewers, who lost two straight to the mighty Phillies, still lead the NL Central, while Milwaukee has a six-game lead over the Cubs. The other four teams in the division are all within two games of each other.
The Yankees are the only team to never have a game lead of five or more
Every MLB division leader except the Yankees is up at least five games.
The Yankees, who are tied with the Phillies for the best record in MLB, are 2 1/2 ahead of the Orioles and at least 12 1/2 ahead of any other team in the AL East. pic.twitter.com/hTG6MkHOor
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 5, 2024
The situation is similar in the American League. The Cleveland Guardians and Seattle Mariners were more than five wins ahead of their respective divisions Wednesday morning, with the former already up to 40 wins in its first 60 games. The AL East is currently the only competitive field in MLB. Because the Yankees only hold a 2.5 game advantage over the Baltimore Orioles.
Among division leaders, the Brewers have the best odds of winning the World Series. They are listed at +2500, behind teams like the Astros (+1800) and Twins (+2200). The Dodgers lead at +300 at sportsbooks, with the Yankees not far behind at +500.
